Racism

Definition

Belief in the superiority of one race over another; discrimination
against an individual or group of people, based on racial background, usually
colour.

Main causes
of racism

Children get prejudice from their parents and peer groups. Racism is learned.
We are not born with it.

Ignorance and Fear: People fear things they do not
know much about, e.g. coming into contact with people who have different
customs, language or appearance,
they might express their anxiety through racism.

Bullying: People make themselves
feel better by picking on a person or group they feel are weaker than them.
Sometimes, we all want to feel we belong to
an “in group” and “hate” those not in “our group”.

Poverty
and unemployment: Racism can form in areas of poverty or unemployment. People
look for someone to blame: “Pakistanis are buying our corner shops,
foreigners scrounge our benefits!”

Racism and the Law

Race Relations Act 1976

It is illegal
to:

Stir up racial hatred by using offensive
language or threats (= fine or prison).

Distribute literature which is likely
to stir up racial hatred.

Refuse someone a job because of colour /
ethnic origin, or refuse them promotion/training.

Refuse to sell someone a
house or change the price because of someone’s
skin colour/race

CRE = Commission for Racial Equality

Set up to monitor and investigate complaints
of racism. It also tries to take action against racist people or organisations.

Has the CRE worked? The CRE deals with only a few dozen cases each year, but
over 60% of black people are sure they had been denied a job because of the
colour
of their skin.

Why has the CRE not worked? Discrimination
like this is difficult to prove. People are not willing to come forward
because of fear, or don’t
think
it will do any good.

Examples of racism from
history

Slave Trade: 16th to the 19th centuries.
Blacks were stolen from their homes and families, taken to the USA, Britain
and Europe, sold to white families
and used as slaves. Often overworked, beaten and killed.

Colonialism: Europeans, e.g. English, French, Germans and Dutch built empires
by taking over countries far away. They imposed their own government on these
people, took their wealth, made them adopt new customs, clothes, ways of life
and religions. Many foreigners died because the Europeans took diseases with
them - entire races were wiped out. This was built on the belief that foreign
races were savages, not fully human. Europeans thought they were helping to
make people civilised.

Colonialism contributed to problems in the
Developing Countries. Their wealth has been taken; the world’s trade
in gold, oil, diamonds and other resources is still in the hands of white
people even though these resources are found
in black countries. We are rarely told that the cause of poverty can be traced
back to white colonialism and exploitation of black people by whites, e.g.
3rd World Debt.

Racism today – minorities are often given poorer housing, inferior education,
not given a job or promotion. Many cities have ‘ghettoes’ where
the majority of residents are ethnic minorities with poor living conditions
and high unemployment. Recently the police was found to be guilty of institutional
racism. The Stephen Lawrence case saw five white youths get away with the murder
of a black boy because of the way the police handled the case. Other countries
have seen the worst sort of racial violence, with millions of people killed
in genocide (an attempt to wipe out a whole race of people), particularly in
Rwanda and Bosnia but also in other racially-motivated disputes around the
world.

The Bible and Racism

The bible is clear that it is wrong for
a person to treat another race as inferior.

“So God made humankind in the image
of God”

Genesis 1:27

God made all people
in his image, so no-one should be discriminated against.

“Do not mistreat foreigners living
in your land. The foreigner must be treated as one of your own. Love
him as you love yourself, because
you were once foreigners in the land of Egypt.”

Leviticus 19:33-34

“Do not take advantage of a hired
man who is poor and needy, whether he is a brother Israelite or a foreigner
living in one of your towns.”

Deuteronomy
24:14-15

The Jews were God’s chosen people,
yet the Old Testament makes clear that they must not take advantage of foreigners.
Christians today might
be
concerned about attitudes towards immigration and ethnic minorities.

“There is neither Jew nor Greek,
slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

St Paul in Galatians 3:28

St Paul tells
the early churches that all prejudice is wrong because Christ has drawn all
people together. The Church should see Christ in everyone, and
concentrate on unity, not diversity.

The Parable of the Good Samaritan -Luke 10:25-37.
The hero of the story was a Samaritan, a race hated by Jews. Jesus says that
love (agape) should not be restricted to people who share your nationality,
but should be shown to everyone.

“My brother, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, do not
show favouritism………..if you keep the royal law, “Love
your neighbour as yourself”, you are doing right. But if you show
favouritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.”

James 2:1-9

St James says that Christians must treat all people equally. To
show favouritism to one group is wrong.

Jesus’ example

Jesus’ behaviour: treated all people equally. He healed a Roman
Centurion’s
servant, and Samaritan lepers.

Jesus’ death: Christians believe
Jesus died for everybody, not just a
few.

If Jesus did not see any distinction between people, then neither should Christians.

"From one human being he created
all the races on Earth and made them live throughout the whole Earth."

Acts 17:26

Christians believe that all people, black and white, are equal in the sight
of God. Everyone is made by God, in the image of God, so must be treated equally.

Church responses to racism

UK Churches were largely responsible for
the Race Relations Act being brought in. Statements from all Christian denominations
show they agreed there
is no place for racism in Christianity. The belief that God created everyone
in his own image opposes racism. Churches are trying to change their
own behaviour, by welcoming people from different ethnic backgrounds, and
allowing
more to become ministers, etc.

The Church of England

1993: CofE debate “Rejoicing in Suffering” to
talk about Africa and the Christians there. CofE agreed that Christians should
acknowledge the
contribution made by Africans to the Church, and try to learn from them. Missionary
work was still important, but this role should change into one of partnership.

The Church of England has been honest in admitting its racism, and is working
hard to remove it. E.g.

We are created by God in his image. Christ’s salvation is for all; we
all have the same destiny. We have physical and mental differences, but discrimination
is wrong and is alien to God’s design. Catholics support anything which
fights against racism. RC Church works for human rights, and has its own “Justice
and Peace” groups.

United Reform Church (URC)

Creation: All humans created in the image
of God (Genesis 1:26). “There
is only one human race.”

Redemption : Jesus died to save all people.
Barriers between race, sex, etc., are over.

“The URC believes that all people are created in God’s
image, free and equal in his sight.”

URC “Declaration on Racism”,
May 1987

“Every human being created in the image of God is a person for whom
Christ died. Racism……..is an assault on Christ’s values,
and a rejection
of his sacrifice.”

MLK’s father was a Christian minister
in Georgia. At home and church MLK was taught that God created everyone in
his own image. He heard stories
about Jesus caring for all people. When he went out, however, he saw all blacks
treated as inferior. MLK became a Baptist minister in Montgomery, Alabama.

1955: Mrs. Rosa Parks, old black woman, arrested for refusing to give up her
seat to a white man. MLK decided to help blacks gain civil rights. He joined
the American Civil Rights Movement, and became their leader in 1960.

What did he do?

Bus Boycott: blacks refused to use public
buses until blacks and whites could sit side by side. 1956, a law was passed
making a racial
segregation on America’s
buses illegal.

Boycotts of Cafés, restaurants
and schools.

“Freedom rides” across America.

Sit-ins in coffee-shops and at
lunch counters

Marches and Demonstrations, non-violent. Black and white people
marched together.

Speeches: August 1963, famous “I have a dream” speech
to 250,000 in Washington.

How did he do it?

Non-violent protest (NVP, also NVDA – Non-Violent
Direct Action). He said violence must not be used to gain equal rights. He
carried
on even though
people bombed his house, and threatened to kill him, his wife and 4 children.
He was attacked, and stabbed once.

Why did he use NVP?

Believed the teaching of the Bible and the Christian Faith
that all people are born in the image of God, and loved by God equally.
God sees no distinction
between black and white.

Believed Jesus died for all people, not just whites.

Wanted to put agape love
into action, but no-one has the right to fight, hurt or kill people to
gain equal rights because God loves all people,
including
racists.

Believed you only change people through love, not hatred or
violence. Hatred must be confronted by love.

Was he successful?

Highly respected by President Kennedy, blacks allowed to
vote, segregation became illegal. However, racist attitudes are still strong
in USA, from both sides.

April 1968, aged 38, MLK was shot dead by a white man in a hotel in Memphis,
Tennessee.